Sunday, February 21, 2016

Obama's War on Syria Risks Escalating Things Out-of-Control

Flashpoint Syria could embroil the entire region and beyond in conflict. Lunatics in Washington, Ankara and Riyadh make anything possible.

If Turkish and/or Saudi troops invade Syria, Russia will do whatever it takes to protect the safety of its personnel - perhaps including use of tactical nuclear weapons, according to journalist Robert Parry, saying:

“A source close to Russian President Vladimir Putin told me that the Russians have warned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Moscow is prepared to use tactical nuclear weapons if necessary to save their troops in the face of a Turkish-Saudi onslaught.”

“Since Turkey is a member of NATO, any such conflict could quickly escalate into a full-scale nuclear confrontation.”

Obama alone can prevent it, Parry added. He’s done nothing to interfere with Erdogan’s war on Turkish, Iraqi and Syrian Kurds - endorsing his aggression by not condemning it, by not demanding punitive Security Council action.

Will he OK Ankara and Riyadh invading Syria, putting Russian personnel in harm’s way? The reliable Saker explained Russia’s nuclear weapons use policy, quoting from its Military Doctrine, stating:

“The Russian Federation reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to the use against her and (or) her allies of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, as well as in the case of aggression against the Russian Federation with the use of conventional weapons in a way which would threaten her very existence as a state.”

“The decision to use nuclear weapons is taken by the President of the Russian Federation.”

It’s Putin’s call. Earlier he said he’ll do what’s necessary to protect the safety of Russian personnel. The nuclear option would be a last resort, used if the security of the state is threatened.

Whether it applies to security outside its borders remains to be seen. If Russia’s Syrian campaign is seriously threatened, if invading forces kill its personnel, if US/NATO troops are involved, all bets are off.

Will Obama risk WW III - or his successor if launching it is a red line he won’t cross? In the meantime, Syria’s conflict festers unresolved, likely throughout the rest of his tenure.

A Hillary Clinton presidency poses the greatest danger, a reckless Putin-hating she-devil capable of anything - even the unthinkable.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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